It’s important to stay on the lookout for these moments, as a guest who has been particularly guarded all day may suddenly surprise you when they reveal their raw emotions, and you don’t want to miss out on capturing that change. If you exist in the moment and use a bit of empathy, these opportune photos are less likely to elude you, as being able to understand the people you are photographing will enable you to be in the right place at the right time.

It’s important to stay on the lookout for these moments, as a guest who has been particularly guarded all day may suddenly surprise you when they reveal their raw emotions, and you don’t want to miss out on capturing that change.

If you exist in the moment and use a bit of empathy, these opportune photos are less likely to elude you, as being able to understand the people you are photographing will enable you to be in the right place at the right time.

WPJA members agreed that being a calming presence is important, saying that one of the goals of the wedding photojournalist is to make sure that the photographer and photographs are at least two things that the couple does not need to worry about on their wedding day. It’s a good idea to get a feel for the atmosphere of the wedding, and while it’s sometimes appropriate to engage in conversation with guests, it’s important to know when to slip away into the background and simply capture the scene with a longer lens if there is a more private moment occurring.

Furthermore, by keeping a lower profile, the wedding photojournalist does not risk simply adding to the chaos. Capture what needs to be captured, but try to do so while drawing as little attention to yourself as possible. Our members have suggested using some restraint while shooting the ceremony so as not to disrupt it, but recommend taking a lot of shots during the reception, using both wide and long lenses, as the reception is a more relaxed environment where the photographer can move through the crowd more easily without being noticed.

Award-winning WPJA members have spoken about their own experiences photographing such sensitive moments, recalling fathers who seemed to be showing no emotion all day and then suddenly broke during the reception, or during their first dance with their daughter. It’s important to stay on the lookout for these moments, as a guest who has been particularly guarded all day may suddenly surprise you when they reveal their raw emotions, and you don’t want to miss out on capturing that change. If you exist in the moment and use a bit of empathy, these opportune photos are less likely to elude you, as being able to understand the people you are photographing will enable you to be in the right place at the right time.

The experience of family and friends crying tears of joy for the people they love and care about is moving and can happen at any time. Even, perhaps, during more formal moments when people are typically expected to keep their emotions reined in, such as during the signing of the ketubah, the marriage contract used in Jewish weddings. Displays of tears and emotion during these unexpected moments are particularly touching and often reveal what parents and family members are thinking, or the realization they’re being hit with; that their child is grown up now.